Often when you think of accent tables, you’re thinking ornate pieces designed to catch the eye in a larger room. But not all home decor calls for elaborate furniture, nor does furniture need to be elaborate to be eye catching. Contemporary accent tables are stunning in their simplicity, adding both functionality and design to a modern or contemporary living room. The more modern your look, the more you want something simple, sleek, and polished to match your space’s minimal decor. Contemporary accent tables are all that and more.
Modern Materials
One of the biggest differences between traditional and contemporary accent tables is material. Many traditional accent tables are made of rugged, antiqued wood or aged, finished metal. Contemporary accent tables skew towards plastic, lacquered wood, glass, and bright, reflective chrome or stainless steel finishes. The chrome-and-glass table above will meld perfectly with just about any contemporary decor. The “accent” part comes in with the staggered base and top, and the asymmetrical offset arm that attaches the two. While many tables of any kind are perfectly symmetrical, contemporary accent tables often use asymmetry to add visual interest and make up for the lack of ornamentation.
Simple But Striking
That said, even incredibly simple contemporary accent tables can be stunning in a modern living space. Made of folded stainless steel, the tables above are about as minimal as they come. But when stacked, they create a fun three dimensional look that’s as stylish as the tables are useful. Nesting tables can either be used stacked or scattered throughout your room, and are extremely versatile if you occasionally need more space.
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A Little More Transparency
Tempered glass and clear acrylic are both excellent materials a modern decor. Because they’re transparent, they provide the functionality of an accent table without visually blocking your room. This creates a more open looking space, which is especially nice in a smaller home, loft, or apartment where you might need the utility of a table but not want to crowd your room with furniture. That said, your tables don’t need to be 100% clear to get this effect. Pairing a transparent body with colorful shelves or drawers creates a fun and dramatic floating effect with a minimal footprint.
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Perfect Polish
Shiny metal tables do the same thing in a slightly different way. While you can’t see through them, mirrored or chrome contemporary accent tables reflect the room around them. That can make your space seem larger than it is. As a bonus, these also blend well with just about any modern decor. After all, they get most of their coloration from the room they’re in. This table is especially visually interesting for thin lines that are alternately reflective and give little peeks into the room beyond.
Mirror Mirror
Taking it a step further, contemporary accent tables that are made of mirrors do this even better. The table above is about as simple as this concept comes, with five reflective sides on a perfect cube. But just about any shape covered in mirrors makes a dramatic statement piece in a modern setting. The more highly contrasted your room is (like a black and white room), the more dramatic the reflections will be; and the more angles the table has, the more fascinatingly distorted the reflection will be – very cool!
High Contrast Design
Black and white accent tables are actually really great for a modern decor as well, whether or not you’re going for a dramatic high-contrast look. Because the colors are undiluted, they have a simple but hefty feel to them. White contemporary accent tables are especially statuesque, and can create a sophisticated, museum-like feel. But if you can get one that has both, so much the better!
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Statuesque Black and White Finishes
The other great thing about black or white accent tables is that they show their shapes especially well. A solid white or black finish with a hint of gloss really shows off even the simplest details. So if you’re not big on asymmetry, you can get a slightly more traditional table done in a solid black or white to much the same effect as a more strictly modern accent table. Simplified classical shapes can actually make for an especially stunning, sophisticated twist on a modern design with a little vintage flair.
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The LBD of Accent Tables
Finally, if you’re still not sure quite what you’re looking for, and you just want a simple stand for a favorite decorative table lamp? Look for something modest and minimal. Little black tables are little black dresses: they’re appropriate for every occasion. Whether you opt for simple hairpin style legs or something a little more decorative, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of a simple, solid black accent table.
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